Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-02-25
CHAPTER IN.


were daily. and Miss Trip wore her myr-
tie green alternately With her sage green
gowns, her first alternately with her see
ond best. Mrs. Kcdfcrn ordered her
third best OF crushed strawberry to be got
ready as quickly rs The millincr could
make it, Crushed strawberry would
crush the heart Of Mr. Algcrnon Beau
fort with u duke in the family, and
bring him to the feet Of Trip. But, in
deed, MIR. Beaufort seemed ready to
throw himself uurcscrVcdlr at those
pretty little feet, unbrOugh. there by any
crushed strawberry.
He was full OF cvilty, and overlooked
with compliments which, though not
original, were nevertheless acceptable
OF the pracefulness of his attentions
there could he no question.
One could hardly have supposed that
any number of people could be deceived
by the appearance and address of this
man. Yet Joe the miller, who saw little
of him, was the only person who had any
supsicion that he was not what he pre-
tended to be- II is often asserted that
the uneducatcd are keenly alive to real
gentility, and able to detect what is
spurious. ! very much question this.
| believe that they are easily imposed
upon by mere brag; but | am quite GER
tain that in the semi-educated class, such
as servants who ought, more than
others, to he able to distinguish between
the true and the false, the faculty of so
distinguishing is wholly absent. The
criterion by which they judge is one
altogether different from the determin-
ing faculty in the superior class. Con-
| tact with culture has confused their
| ideas, not cleared them.
1t was speedily noised in the servants
hall at Ringwood and throughout the
| parish that the young man with dock
in the family was paying his addresses
| to Trip The butler, the cook, the house
keeper, and the upper housemaid at the
hall thought it incumbent on them to
encourage the courtship; it would add,
as Mrs. Rcdfcrn said, "a claw" to Ring
wood that II daughter of the park, SO to
| speak, should marry into the upper circle
of the aristocracy. Moreover, Mr.. Beau
fort was much liked by the servants.
| He was fun Of anccdote. witticisms,
scandalous stories about persons of title,
all of whom ne knew intimately, and 10
/ the truth of which stories he could tes-
tify.
"Your true hluodcd ariStocrat,' said
| Mr. Thompson, can descend to famili
arities with MS and lose nothing by it;
! but your parVcnuS your wealthy trades
men who've riH from barrow to eat Off
gold and silver, they have to be mighty
particulars They have to be with their
dignity like a sailor with his pants, al
ways hitching Of it up"
So little collationS were spread for the
Rcdfcrn party and the stranger in the
| servants hail; II cup of tea was always
ready for them in the housckceper's room
when they walked to the house Mr.
| Beaufort and Trip sat beside each other
at table, and a good deal of whispering
went on between them, both at table and
aftcrward
"Really, SIR said the housekcepcr,
"Mr Beaufort, ''you're getting to know
all about our hall and its ways, as if you
was the tame cat of the family
Al last Mrs. Redfern announced She
would invite the head servants to the
lodge 10 supper.
We'll. said her husband, If you do
let Joe Western have an invite also. Hes
a right good fellow, and | care for him IA
deal more than for your riGmaroling fop
Of London swell
"Rigmarolng fop of n London swell"'
echoed Mrs. Rcdfern. Well, | never
You are worse than heather, Richard
and Mr.. Beaufort as is going to make II
MY l4dlA pl our LENA. OH am / a
turning round with the world, that's
clear, but are "A flying of into nobody
knows where.
In spite of all her protcstations and eX-
CARNATIONS, the keeper insisted on invit-
ing Joe. Joe was n right down solid man,
and Joe should come. He wasn't all
varnish and Brunswick black, but true
metal, and Dick only Wished Trip would
think Of, and take the miller instead of
the swell. 50 the keeper asked Joe Yves
tern himself, and, 10 his mothers aston
ishmcnt, Joe consented to 90,
Joe went, but he was not an agreeable
person in socicy at any time. ON this Oc-
cnsion least of all He had only seen Mr..
Beaufort at a distance hitherto, from the
door Of his mill, going along the road.
Now he studied him with unfrieudly eyes,
with scowl on his brow, and with his
lips set.
Mr. Beaufort was uneasy. lie wills
percd to Trip question who he was, and
seemed treasured when informed that
Joe was the miller
Joe scarcely ate, drank little, spoke
even less. lie sat and glowered first at
Algernon beaufort, Esq, and then at
Trip. Not II muscle of his face moved
but the lines in his face became deeper,
the brows more knotty, the lips tighter.
"Am An object of such great interest
to you, sir. that you cannot take your
eyes of me- asked Beaufort
Joe made no answer; he seemed not to
have heard the question
II object 10 being stared at, said the
gentleman. II am not accustomed to il
in my position.
Then the young miller stood up and
walked To the door Trip was Just pass
ing from the kitchen. Joe grasped her
wrist as with wise. She looked up in
his face. II was no longer rigid, every
muscle was working; he said in a low
voice:
Come outside to me, Trip must
speak to you. cannot bear more
go on, - she said; 81 will follow you,